Napping with sitter-OR NOT!

03-07-2009, 12:22 PM

My son is 6-months-old. He has 3 regular sitters-two grandmas and his aunt. He had been napping fine until recently. He takes much shorter naps. Even when they watch him in our home, he doesn't sleep as long as when he is with mommy or daddy. This week with aunt, he only took two 20-minute naps on Wednesday. He was extremely sleepy the rest of the day and went to bed super early.

When I am home, he will take two 1 1/2 hour naps and a short evening nap. I even lay him down in our bed after he is sound asleep. He will sleep up to one-hour on his own. Sometimes, I also take a nap with him. Then, he will sleep longer as well.

Why can't he sleep with the sitter? Are there any tips I can give them? Are they missing the window of drowsiness? Please help. It is frustrating to come home to an exhausted baby who only wants to nurse and sleep. I miss my son! I work 40-44 hours per week, two nights 12-9, and three days 8:30-5:30.

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How long has the nap mix-up been going on? Is it possible it is a coincidence and he is teething/ having growing pains so is having nap problems? Are they feeding him new foods? Are there any other changes going on in his life?

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Today, I didn't work until 2, so my son took his morning nap with me. He slept for two hours while I held him. He does need encouragement to keep sleeping, though. I hush him and speak softly to him when he begins to rouse.

His caregivers rock him and sing to him, like I do. They will lay him down to sleep on the couch or just hold him while he sleeps. I'll have to ask them if they try to coax him back to sleep when his little eyes pop open or if they think his nap is over.

The major change going on in his life is the introduction to solids (banana, brown rice, carrots, peas, green beans so far) at 6 months old, which was about 3 weeks ago.

Most of the time when I lay him down, I put him in our bed since that is where is is accustomed to sleeping. I've been thinking about creating a nap nook somewhere in the house. Any suggestions?

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I think that unless you have a child that is naturally and inherently orderly and self-regulated its unrealistic to expect exactly the same behavior when our children are with caregivers. I know my children ebb and flow and they are with me all the time!
6 months is a BIG step! So many new things going on developmentally, everyday is new etc. I just want to throw that out there so you don't feel that it has to be something YOU are doing wrong or not right enough!

I like your idea of a nap corner but wonder why your caregiver cannot lay next to them in your bed?

I put him in our bed since that is where he is accustomed to sleeping.

I think its great that you have caregivers that are willing to hold him while he sleeps, but maybe he should be put down where "he is accustomed to sleeping." Consistency might help here. (implemented in a soft, sensitive way of course!)